Agribusiness Planning: Providing Direction for Agricultural Firms
This 12-page publication discusses the importance of business planning for agricultural firms—from input suppliers to producers to processors—and describes the steps required to prepare a thorough business plan. It presents a recommended format that should be useful for all types of agricultural firms as they develop written business plans, and uses examples from the wide variety of agribusinesses to provide a broad context to the general theme of business planning. Note: This publication is available in PDF only; it is not available in hard copy from the Publications Distribution Center.

Agricultural Alternatives: Beef Backgrounding Production
Backgrounding is a beef production system that uses pasture and other forages from the time calves are weaned until they are placed in a feedlot. This eight-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers selecting calves for backgrounding, calf and forage management, preventative health management, backgrounding feeding programs, and other considerations, and includes sample budgets and references for more information.

Valuing Pennsylvania's Water Resources
This 24-page publication explores issues surrounding the true value of water: how national and Pennsylvania water resources are managed; why the price of water is often low relative to its value; and the economic costs of pollution incidents. Drought, flooding, and global water concerns are also covered. The publication is designed to help members of watershed groups, public officials, businesspeople, water supply managers, and interested citizens make better decisions about water use and to express their opinions to government officials. Note: This publication is available in PDF only; it is not available in hard copy from the Publications Distribution Center.

Country Living: A Guide for Homeowners
In rural areas many of the community services and utilities provided by local government in urban and suburban areas are instead handled by individual property owners on their own land, or are contracted for individually by the property owner. This publication will help people already living in or considering a move to the country understand the basics about how government and community services and utilities work in rural areas in Pennsylvania. It introduces private drinking water supply and on-lot wastewater treatment. It discusses the changing face of Pennsylvania's countryside and relationships

Agricultural Alternatives: Highbush Blueberry Production
Blueberries are well suited for small-scale and part-time farm operations. This four-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers blueberry marketing, production considerations, pest management, and postharvest handling, and includes sample budgets and references for more information.

Agricultural Alternatives: Red Raspberry Production
Raspberries are a small-fruit crop that lend themselves well to small-scale and part-time farming operations. This four-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers raspberry marketing, production considerations, harvesting and storage, pest control, and budgeting, and includes sample budgets and references for more information.

Agricultural Alternatives: Strawberry Production
Strawberries are a small-fruit crop that lend themselves well to small-scale and part-time farming operations. This 8-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers strawberry marketing, production considerations, harvesting and renovation, and pest control, and includes sample budgets and references for more information.

Agricultural Alternatives: Swine Production
While the trend in the swine industry continues toward larger farms, opportunities remain to make money by raising hogs as a part-time enterprise. This six-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers three types of swine production enterprises, discusses marketing, feeding, watering, manure handling, breeding, and health, and includes sample budgets and references for more information.

The Fundamentals of Forward Contracting, Hedging, and Options for Dairy Producers in the Northeast
Many sources of risk on today's dairy farm can adversely affect profits. Milk prices, milk production, interest rates, labor availability, and other factors all can affect a dairy business' economic performance. Dairy farm operators need to consider the actions they can take to avoid or reduce the amount of risk they take. This 40-page publication explains steps dairy operators can take to better manage their economic risks. Note: This publication is available in PDF only; it is not available in hard copy from the Publications Distribution Center.

Milk Components and Quality: New Methods for Paying Pennsylvania Dairy Farmers
Important new regulations in Pennsylvania have resulted in drastic changes to farmers' milk checks. Federal order reform has implemented Multiple Component Pricing (MCP), which eliminates flat milk prices and instead pays farmers for the actual amounts of various components in their milk. This 12-page publication explains MCP, illustrates the new milk check, and instructs farmers on performing simple calculations to compare their new milk prices to order averages. A final section describes steps farmers can take to obtain higher component levels from their herds. Note: This publication is available in PDF only; it is not available in hard copy from the Publications Distribution Center.

Agricultural Alternatives: Dairy-Beef Production
Dairy-beef production lends itself well to small-scale and part-time farming operations and also can be an auxillary enterprise for larger operations. This four-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers dairy-beef marketing, purchasing calves, health, nutrition, and housing, and includes sample budgets and references for more information.

Agricultural Alternatives: Feeding Beef Cattle
Cattle feeding in Pennsylvania has been a fairly stable, but high-risk business. During some years, an operation may not recover out-of-pocket costs, so beef-feeding enterprises are not as well adapted to small-scale farms as beef cow-calf operations. This six-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers getting started, facilities, grazing and backgrounding, purchasing feeder cattle, health and nutrition, and includes sample budgets and references for more information.

Agricultural Alternatives: Beekeeping
Approximately 120,000 beekeepers own nearly 2.6 million colonies of honey bees in the United States. This six-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers many aspects of beekeeping, such as planning ahead, marketing, acquiring bees, diseases, and mites. It includes sample budgets and references for more information.

Agricultural Alternatives: Rabbit Production
Rabbit farming has grown from raising a few rabbits for family consumption to large commercial operations with hundreds of rabbits. This six-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers rabbit marketing, getting started, housing, breeding, nutrition, and health, and includes sample budgets and references for more information.

Agricultural Alternatives: Red Deer Production
U.S. deer production is growing steadily due to increasing demand for deer products, minimal acreage requirements for production, and adaptability of deer to marginal pastures. More than 200,000 red, fallow, axis, sika, elk, and white-tailed deer are raised in national parks and on game preserves, farms, and ranches. Pennsylvania has about 30 commercial deer operations. This six-page publication outlines the issues involved in raising red deer, and includes sample budgets.

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